Chocolate Cupcakes with Basil Buttercream Frosting

and (b) if you sneeze while making that face, your eyes are going to stay that way. So my momma said about crossing my eyes, rolling them into the back of my head, etc. And she speaketh the truth (except when she lies to me and, when caught, says “oh really? did I say that? doesn’t sound like me.” typical.)

Besides. I know you spend some nights sitting on your couch with a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a spoon and call it a date night.

(No judgement.)

But really, is basil buttercream so different?

I promise it’s not, especially since when I handed The.Boy. a cupcake without telling him what it was, he swore up and down that it was mint chocolate. Until I told him it was basil chocolate.

Then he said, “oh yeah. I guess it does taste like that.”

I totally see where he was coming from, though, because the basil infusion takes the buttercream from being heavy to being light and refreshing. There’s something a bit herbaceous about it, but in a breath-of-fresh-air kind of way, so maybe you think mint when you first bite in, just because your mouth feels like everything is right in the world. But then it’s unmistakably basil, the whole rest of the way.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line cupcake tins with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and hot water and whisk together until smooth. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth and the butter is totally melted. Transfer the butter/sugar mix to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-low until cool, 4-5 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Blend in the vanilla and the cocoa mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream. Mix after each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared liners until they are 3/4 full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.

Combine the milk, heavy cream, and basil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat until simmering, then remove from the heat. Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Remove the basil leaves from the cream, squeezing any basil juice into them before discarding the basil.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the flour and sugar together. Add the basil milk to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 10-15 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until cool, 7-9 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, one piece at a time. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the vanilla and continue mixing 1-2 minutes. If the mixture seems too soft and liquidy, put the bowl in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes and then beat again until it is the correct consistency. Add a tiny bit of green gel food coloring if green color is desired (I just dipped the back of my fork in my the gel and then dipped it into the frosting and beat to combine.)

You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.

103 Responses to Chocolate Cupcakes with Basil Buttercream Frosting

So I definitely ate mint chocolate chip ice cream last night directly from the container while sitting on the couch and watching the Olympics with Mike. Yeah.This frosting is beautiful! But I have no doubt that it even tastes 10x better than it looks too!!

Haha, I love how we can get fooled when we don’t know the real ingredient list. I ercently went to a raw ersto where I ate the dip and said, I don’t know what it tastes like but it tastes like what it is supposed to!! It had been so long since I had had cream cheese that I forgotten what to associate the flavours with. 🙂

Hi, You should know that basil is in the mint family. I grow mint and basil. Furthermore, I am told that if Thai Holy Basil is not available, you could mix mint and basil half and half. So, wierd? Not! But yes, is true if you sneeze with eyes closed they will stay that way ad infinitum. cm

Basil frosting can’t be any weirder than carrots in cake. And I only judge Paul (when he takes taco meat left overs from one night, grilled fish from another night, mixes them together and sprinkles it all with Greek seasoning), but you? I don’t judge.

I love the way you think, Joanne. I so wish I could try just one of these right now. I bet I would love it. I’m a break from baking until my jeans stop hating me, but that sure doesn’t stop me from drooling over your photos!

Believe me, I am looking at you with eyes that scream admiration. This post sent my heart rate up a few beats just on reading the title – the rest of it didn’t disappoint and I can’t wait to make these 🙂

Basil might sound weird initially, but when you come to think about it, it’s just the same as mint!! This is an excellent buttercream!! I’d have to try it some day! I’m sure it would taste so refreshing! And the combination with the chocolate cupcakes must be delicious!

Nothing wrong with your tastebuds, girlfriend – I think basil and chocolate make for a great flavour combination. And I think these would be entirely breakfast appropriate. In fact, I’m convinced that a cupcake is a very nutritionally sound way to begin the day.xo

yesssss! I would never make a weird face at basil buttercream, it sounds brilliant to me! There’s a radio show called Kidd Kraddick In the Morning and once the men and the women had a cookoff and for dessert, the men served jalapeno apple pie with basil ice cream and I was so digging it. I still think that sounds really good! (The men won the competition, by the way.) Anyway, I think I have to try this! I love the look too!

“Weird”? Please, do you know who you’re talking to here? I think that your readership is well aware of your innovative flavor pairings, and comes back because of them, not in spite of them! Basil and chocolate are fantastic together, and it’s a shame that they aren’t matched up more often. Plus, that pale green hue for the frosting is just lovely.

Wow! Now I have a way to use the fresh basil that grows in my back yard that I *never* would have thought of before. I bet these are amazing. Nothing quite beats fresh basil. Definitely bookmarking this!